Articulated Fitting For A Head Part Frame Of A Foldable Mattress Frame

ABSTRACT

An articulated fitting which is arranged symmetrically on two sides of a head part frame ( 4 ) and a foldable lying frame ( 3 ) which are maintained on a base frame ( 1 ) with several four-bar mechanisms ( 2 A- 2 B- 2 C- 1; 2 D- 2 B- 34 A- 36 ) which are connected by means of a folding rod assembly ( 22 ) and wherein a locking iron ( 10 ) is connected to a guide element ( 34 ) and guided in a slider and a locking pin ( 9 ) of the head part frame ( 4 ) engages therein and locks in a flat lying position, optionally in an inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting position, wherein a release lever ( 17 ) provided with locking lobes ( 18, 19 ) extends between the four-bar mechanism and a locking journal ( 12 ) on the locking iron ( 10 ) in a spring-loaded non-positive fit or a locking lever with locking lobes extends between the four-bar mechanism and a locking iron member is guided in a spring-loaded non-positive fit with a guide pin in a guide track in an unlocking lever which is coupled to the locking iron ( 10 ).

Articulated fitting, which is arranged symmetrically on two sides of ahead part frame of a foldable lying frame, which is maintained in anarticulated manner on a base frame with a first four-bar mechanism,which is connected by means of a guide element to a head part framejoint joining the head part frame with a lying part frame, and whereinthe guide element is linked to a second four-bar mechanism comprising acoupler and a guide element extension of the guide element situated inthe direction of the lying frame, which is part of the first four-barmechanism, and a coupling element which is connected to an angle leverin a joint at the end of the guide element extension, the other leverarm of which is part of a folding rod assembly of the lying part frame,

and wherein a locking iron with at least one locking notch is connectedto the guide element in a flexible manner, and is guided, slidingbetween limits, in a slider plate, and wherein a locking pin engages inthis slider arrangement, said pin being fastened to the head part frame,so that the frame can be locked in a flat lying position, optionally inan inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting position by raising thelying part frame, and released to be brought back to the lying position.

Such an articulated fitting is well-known from DE 693 10 133 T2. In thisinvention, the coupling element consists of sections which are connectedin a flexible manner and which can be joined in a rigid stretchedposition, and is linked to the slider arrangement, so that the lock, andthe locking iron, are released after substantially lifting the lyingpart frame. When the frame is lowered later on, it is returned to thelying position. Since the lying frame is substantially heavier than thehead part, changing from one position to another is also quitedifficult.

It is the aim of the invention to make possible an easier and secureadjustment of the head part in relation to the lying part frame, and toguarantee that the head part frame counterbalances the lying part frameconcerning the linkage to the base frame, when the lying part frame isfolded.

This object is met in such a way, that a release lever provided withlocking lobes extends between the joint at the end of the guide elementextension of the guide element of the first four-bar mechanism and alocking journal on the locking iron in a spring-loaded non-positive fit;or a locking lever with locking lobes, at one side, extends from a jointat the end of the guide element neighbouring the lying part frame, saidelement being part of the first four-bar mechanism, to a locking ironjoint at the locking iron, and at the other side of said joint, isguided in guide track in an unlocking lever, by means of a guide pin ina spring-loaded non-positive fit, the other end of said lever beingcoupled to the locking iron.

Favourable embodiments of the invention are indicated in the subclaims.

In a first embodiment, the locking iron, possessing a recess, in whichthe different locking positions are determined by locking notches, ispressed upward by a spring in such a way that the pin of the head partframe is pressed into the respective locking notch. When the head partframe is raised to unlock, a release lever with one lobe for eachlocking position presses against a journal of the locking iron with theappropriate lobe, pushing back the locking iron far enough to disengagethe locking pin from the locking notch. The pin is then retained in arecess of the slider above the locking notches. Furthermore, when thelying part frame is tilted upward, a lobe of the locking lever pushesback the locking iron as to disengage the locking pin from themomentarily occupied locking notch, it then being retained in a recessof the slider above the locking notches.

This fitting permits locking the head part frame in several positions.

For this purpose a locking iron is employed, which possesses a recesswith several locking notches determining the locking positions. Alocking pin on the head part frame engages in these locking notches andthereby fixes the position of the head part frame. The locking iron ispressed upward by a spring so that the locking pin is pressed againstthe head part frame into the respective locking notch. The locking ironpossesses a laterally projecting journal, which causes the locking ironto recede when the head part frame is raised, thus disengaging thelocking pin from the locking notch. A slider gliding on the locking ironcovers the locking notch with a projecting part of its recess, therebykeeping the locking pin in the recess. Now the head part frame is freelymovable.

When the lying part frame is raised, the release lever is also pressedagainst the journal with one of its lobes. The locking iron is pushedback and the locking pin moves from the locking notch into the recess ofthe slider above the locking notches. When the lying part frame isreclined, the locking pin of the head part frame is pushed forward sothat it engages in the locking notch for the horizontal position.

The locking iron is supported at one end of a connecting element, theother end of which is linked to a guide element of the second four-barmechanism. A spring is tensioned between the connecting element and theguide element of the four-bar mechanism, around the joint of the lockingiron, pressing the locking iron upward.

The slider is guided on the locking iron by means of at least one anglededge on mobile on the locking iron. A guide pin in the slider engages ina slot of the locking iron. Thus, the slider slides on the locking iron,with respect to the length of the slot, and covers a part of the recessof the locking iron. The slider also possesses a recess, which is alittle bit longer than the recess of the locking iron with the twolocking notches. The recess of the slider frees a maximum of two lockingnotches, and it possesses a projecting part, which covers a lockingnotch when the slider slides downward. The locking pin of the head partframe is thereby maintained above the respective covered locking notch.

In a second embodiment the respective position is determined by thelocking iron with one recess and one locking notch and by a lockinglever with one locking lobe; and the locking pin which is fastened tothe head part frame is actuated by a spring. For the inclined relaxedposition of the head part frame it is pushed into the locking notch andfor the lying position it is pushed against the locking lobe, so thatwhen the head part frame is raised to change from the lying position tothe relaxed position, the locking pin slides from the locking lobe intothe locking notch, and when the head part frame is raised further, thelocking pin slides in a longitudinal recess of a slider, which ismaintained on the locking iron in a longitudinally sliding manner andcovers the locking notch, so that the head part frame, when reclined tothe lying position, engages on the locking lobe.

The fitting permits locking the tilting head part frame of the device inone lying position and in one or more inclined positions. Also, thelying part frame is foldable, so that the entire device can easily bestowed away. The fitting is fastened to a base frame by means of afour-bar mechanism. A locking pin is attached at the head part frame,which is guided in a longitudinal recess in a locking iron of thefitting. The locking pin determines the position of the head part frame.In the relaxed position the locking pin rests in a locking notch of thelocking iron. In the lying position the locking pin presses against thelocking lobe of a locking lever. A spring actuates the locking iron andthe locking lever in such a way, that the locking pin rests either inthe locking notch or against the locking lobe. When the head part frameis raised, the locking pin slides from the locking lobe to the lockingnotch and fixes the head part frame in the relaxed position. When thehead part frame is raised further, the locking pin disengages from thelocking notch, a slider on the locking iron then covers the lockingnotch and the head part frame can be returned to the lying position, thelocking pin then sitting close to the locking lobe. The movement of thelocking iron is attained by its pivoted attachment on the locking lever.The spring which presses the recess of the locking iron and the lockinglever against the locking pins is tensioned between the locking lever,near the locking lobe, and the end of the locking iron opposite thelocking notch. An unlocking lever serves to release the locking lever,one end of said unlocking lever being pivoted on the locking iron. Itpresents a guide track, in which a guide pin of the locking lever isguided, guiding the locking lever against the spring pressure.

The locking lever is pivoted on a guide element of the second four-barmechanism. When the head part frame or the lying part frame is tiltedupward, it is turned by means of a control lever fastened at the end ofthe locking lever facing the locking lobe. Thus, the locking iron ispulled in such a way, that the locking pin is ejected from the lockingnotch, thereby releasing the head part frame.

Two forms of embodiment are described in the figures by way of example.

FIG. 1 shows the fitting of the first kind, head part frame in ahorizontal position.

FIG. 2 shows the fitting, head part frame inclined.

FIG. 3 shows the fitting, lying part frame raised

FIG. 4 shows the fitting of the second kind, head part frame in ahorizontal position.

FIG. 5 shows the fitting, head part frame inclined.

FIG. 6 shows the fitting, lying part frame raised.

FIG. 7 shows a total view of FIG. 5

FIG. 8 shows in detail the locking iron with the slider, the lockinglever and the unlocking lever in an exploded view.

In FIG. 1 the fitting of the first kind is shown with the head partframe 4 set to a horizontal position. The fitting is fastened to thebase frame 1. A first four-bar mechanism 2A-2B-2C-1 supports the lyingpart frame 3 and the head part frame 4, the lying frame 3 beingsupported by an angle lever 21 and is connected with the head part frame4 in a joint 5. The folding rod assembly 22 is operated by a foot partnot represented here.

The head part frame 4 is held in a locking iron 10 by a locking pin 9,which, in a recess 11, exhibits preferably two locking notches 23.24. Aslider 14 slides laterally on the locking iron 10 and is guided by aguide pin 37 in a slot 13. The slider 14 exhibits the recess 15 with anextension 15A, which can release one locking notch at a time.

The locking iron 10 is held—via a connecting element 6 with the pivot8—in the pivot 20 at a guide element 34 of a second four-bar mechanism2D-2B-34A-36. A spring 7 around the pivot 8, extending between theconnecting element 6 and the locking iron 10, presses the locking iron10 upward and the locking pin 9 against the respective locking notch 23,24.

A release lever 17, which is connected with an angle lever 21 of thefolding rod assembly 22 at a hinge point E, possesses the two lockinglobes 18, 19. When the head part frame 4 is raised, those press againsta locking journal 12 of the locking iron 10 and thus lift the lockingpin 9 from the currently occupied locking notch 23, 24. In the caseshown here, the lock is released by the locking lobe 18. The slider 14slides downward on the locking iron 10 and the projecting part 16 of theslider recess covers the locking notch. The locking pin 9 then rests onthe projecting part 16 beside the locking notches, and the head partframe is freed.

In FIG. 2, the same fitting is represented with the head part frame 4tilted upward. Here all parts of the fitting work together as describedfor FIG. 1. But in this case the locking pin 9 engages in the secondlocking notch of the locking iron 10. When either the head part israised further or the foot part is raised, the lock is released, by thenow effective lobe 19 which pushes against the retracting lockingjournal 12 and lifts the locking iron 10.

In FIG. 3 the device is shown with the lying part frame 3 tilted upward,which causes the joint 5 between the head part frame 4 and the lyingpart frame to move downward. The slider 14 is situated at the side andis guided by the guide pin 37 all the way to the bottom of the slot 13,and the locking pin 9 of the locking iron 10 is in a free position inthe recess 11 of the locking iron 10 and in the recess 15 of the slider14. The retracting journal 12 strikes the release lever 17. When thelying part frame 3 is raised further, the locking iron 10 is supportedby the journal 12 of the release lever 17 and the locking pin 9 of thelocking iron 10 moves into the upper recess. This corresponds to thehorizontal position of the head part frame. When the lying part frame 3is again reclined to a horizontal position, also the head part frame 4is again locked in the horizontal position.

In FIG. 4 the fitting of the second kind is shown with the head partframe 4 placed horizontally. The fitting is fastened to the base frame1. A first four-bar mechanism 2A-2B-2C-l supports the lying part frame 3and the head part frame 4, the lying part frame 3 being connected withthe head part frame 4 in a joint 5. A second four-bar mechanism2D-2B-34A-36 is coupled to the first four-bar mechanism consisting of abase frame section 1 and a guide element 2C at the side of the headpart. The second four-bar mechanism consists of an upper extension 2D ofthe guide element 2C at the side of the foot part, the transversecoupler 2B, a section 34A of a guide element 34 extending from the guideelement joint D at the side of the head part to the joint 5 between thehead part 4 and the foot part frame 3, and a coupling element 36, whichextends from the section 34A in a joint G to a joint E at the upper endof the guide element extension 2D. The joints E-C-D-G of the secondfour-bar mechanism are designated accordingly. An angle lever 21 actsupon the upper joint E of the guide element extension 2 D. Said lever isfastened in an articulated manner at the lying part frame 3 and, at theother end, is linked to a folding rod assembly 22. Thereby the twofour-bar mechanisms are operated when the foot part 3 is raised, so thatthe second four-bar mechanism 2D-2B-34A-36, which is connected with thelocking iron 10 in a locking iron joint 8 and with a unlocking lever 44in joints 32.33, causes a release of the locking pin 9 within thelocking iron 10 and the slider 11.

The head part frame 4 is guided by its locking pin 9 in the recess 11 ofthe locking iron 10. The locking lever 40 is fastened to the guideelement 34 via the joint 33. At one end the locking lever 40 exhibits alocking lobe 43, against which the locking pin 9 sits close in the lyingposition. At the other end, the locking lever 40 is connected with acontrol link 30 via the joint 32, said control link being fastened tothe lying part frame 3 via a joint 31. Thus a rise of the lying frame 3is transferred to the locking lever 40.

The locking iron 10, which exhibits at least one locking notch 23, isfastened in the locking iron joint 8 at the locking lever 40. A spring50 is tensioned between the end of 51 of the locking iron 10 which isdistant from the locking notch 23 and the spring suspension 52 of thelocking lever 40, and thus presses one edge of a recess 11, togetherwith the locking notches 23 of the locking iron 10, against the lockingpin 9. The unlocking lever 44 is fastened in a hinge point 42 at thelocking iron 10. A guide pin 41 of the locking lever 40 is guided theguide track 46 of said lever. When the head part frame 4 is raised, thelocking lever 40 with its locking lobe 43 is thus moved aside by thelocking pin 9 and the pin released. On the locking iron 10 a slider 14is attached, which slides in a slot 13 on a guide pin 37, which coversthe locking notch 23 when the locking iron 10 is lifted by raising thehead part frame 4 or the lying part frame 3, and thus permits to reclinethe locking iron 10 and the head part frame 4 to the lying position.

When folding up the frame parts 3, 4 the slewing motion of the lyingpart frame 3 is transferred to the locking lever 40 via the angle lever21, which is fastened to the second four-bar mechanism in the joint Eand via the control link 30. Thus the locking pin 9 is released and thehead part frame is also brought to the inclined position.

In FIG. 5, the same fitting is represented with the head part frame 4tilted upward. Here all parts of the fitting work together as describedfor FIG. 4. In this case the locking pin 9 of the head part frame 4engages in the locking notch 23 and the locking lobe 43 is turned awayfrom the locking pin 9. The extension 15A in the guide way 15 of theslider 14 releases the locking notch 23 for the entry of the locking pin9.

In FIG. 6 the fitting of the second kind is represented with the lyingpart frame 3 raised in the folding direction FR, which causes the framejoint 5 to move downward. The guide pin 41 is positioned at the outerend of the guide track 46 and pulls the locking iron 10 in such a waythat the locking pin 9 disengages from the locking notch. The slider 14,guided by the slot 13, slides down completely and covers the lockingnotch 23; and the locking pin 9 is in a free position in the recesses 11and 15. The lying part frame 3 can be inclined steeply and the head partframe 4, because of the joint 5, likewise attains a steep position.

FIG. 7 shows a total side view of FIG. 5. The head part frame 4 isangled towards the lying part frame 3 in the joint 5. Both frame parts3, 4 are supported at the base frame 1 by the two four-bar mechanisms2A-2B-2C-1; 2D-2B-34A-36, and the other end of the lying part frame 3 issupported by a leg 60, which is connected to the folding rod assembly 22by means of the angle lever 21 at the upper four-bar mechanism. Inaddition, a foot part 61 with a second leg 62 which are shown as theyare folded backwards, are linked to the lying part frame 3 via a bridgeelement 63.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the locking, retracting and unlockingparts in different scale. The correlations of the bearings 8, 42 arerepresented by dash-dotted lines between the locking iron 10, thelocking lever 40 and the unlocking lever 44. Furthermore, the guideslots 15, 11 and the guiding edges of the slider 14 and the locking iron10 as well as the slider recess 15A and the locking notch 23 and alsothe journal 37 are shown in relation to the slot 13 by dash-dottedlines.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1 base frame-   2A-2B-2C-1 first four-bar mechanism-   2D-2B-34A-36 second four-bar mechanism-   2A guide element of 1, facing head part frame-   2C guide element of 1, facing lying part frame-   2D guide element extension-   2B transverse coupler 2A-2C-   A-B-C-D joints 1^(st) four-bar mechanism-   E-C-D-G joints of 2^(nd) four-bar mechanism-   3 lying part frame-   4 head part frame-   5 joint of head part frame-   6 connecting element-   7 spring-   8 locking iron joint-   10 locking iron-   11 recess in locking iron-   12 locking journal-   13 slot in locking iron 10-   14 slider-   15 recess in slider-   15A extension of 15-   16 projecting part-   17 release lever-   18 locking lobe for horizontal position-   19 locking lobe for inclined position-   20 rotation axis of the joint lever-   21 angle lever-   22 folding rod assembly-   23 1^(st) locking notch of 10-   24 2^(nd) locking notch of 10-   26 hinge point of 10-   30 control link-   31 upper hinge point of control lever-   32 lower hinge point of control lever-   33 hinge point of locking lever-   34 guide element-   34A section of 34 of the 2^(nd) four-bar mechanism-   36 coupling element of 2^(nd) four-bar mechanism-   37 guide pin-   40 locking lever-   41 guide pin-   42 hinge point of unlocking lever-   44 unlocking lever-   46 guide track-   50 spring-   51 working point of spring on the locking iron-   52 spring suspension on the locking lever-   60 leg-   61 foot part-   62 2^(nd) leg-   63 bridge element-   FR folding direction

1. Articulated fitting, which is arranged symmetrically on two sides ofa head part frame (4) of a foldable lying frame (3), which is maintainedin an articulated manner on a base frame (1) with a first four-barmechanism (2A-2B-2C-1), which is connected by means of a guide element(34) to a head part frame joint (5) joining the head part frame (4) witha lying part frame (3), and wherein the guide element (34) is linked toa second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) comprising a coupler (2B) anda guide element extension (2D) of the guide element (2C) situated in thedirection of the lying frame, which is part of the first four-barmechanism, and a coupling element (36) which is connected to an anglelever (21) in a joint (E) at the end of the guide element extension(2D), the other lever arm of which is part of a folding rod assembly(22) of the lying part frame (3), and wherein a locking iron (10) withat least one locking notch (23, 24) is connected to the guide element(34) in a flexible manner, and is guided, sliding between limits, in aslider plate (14) and wherein a locking pin (9) engages in this sliderarrangement (10, 14), said pin being fastened to the head part frame(4), so that the frame can be locked in a flat lying position,optionally in an inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting positionby raising the lying part frame (3), and released to be brought back tothe lying position, characterized in that a release lever (17) providedwith locking lobes (18, 19) extends between the joint (E) at the end ofthe guide element extension (2D) of the guide element (2C) of the firstfour-bar mechanism and a locking journal (12) on the locking iron (10)in a spring-loaded non-positive fit; or a locking lever (40) withlocking lobes (43), at one side, extends from a joint (32) at the end ofthe guide element (2C) neighbouring the lying part frame, said elementbeing part of the first four-bar mechanism, to a locking iron joint (8)at the locking iron (10), and at the other side of said joint (8), isguided in guide track (46) in an unlocking lever (44), by means of aguide pin (41) in a spring-loaded non-positive fit, the other end ofsaid lever being coupled to the locking iron (10).
 2. Articulatedfitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the respectiveposition is determined by the locking iron (10) with a recess (11) and afirst locking notch (23) and a second locking notch (24) or by a lockinglobe (43) on a locking lever (40), and that the locking pin (9) isspring-loaded and, in the relaxed position, is pressed into the firstlocking notch (23) and, in the lying position, is pressed into a secondlocking notch (24) or against the locking lobe (43), and that when thehead part frame (4) is raised to change from the lying position to therelaxed position, the locking pin (9) slides from the second lockingnotch (24) or the locking lobe (43) into the first locking notch (23),and when the head part frame (4) is raised further, the locking pin (9)slides in a longitudinal recess (15) of a slider (14), which ismaintained on the locking iron (10) in a longitudinally sliding manner,and which guides the locking pin (9) past the locking notch (23), sothat the head part frame (4) when reclined to the lying position,engages on the locking lobe (43).
 3. Articulated fitting according toclaim 1, characterized in that the locking iron (10) is pivoted on thelocking lever (40) in a joint (42).
 4. Articulated fitting according toclaim 1, characterized in that a spring (50) is tensioned between, onone side, the locking lever (40) where it is fastened near the lockinglobe (43) and, on the other side, the end of the locking iron (10) whereit is fastened opposite of the first locking notch (23) and that itpresses the notch-side of the locking iron against the locking pin (9).5. Articulated fitting according to claim 4, characterized in that thelocking lever (40) is coupled to a guide element (34) of the secondfour-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) and that, when the lying part frame(3) is tilted upward, it is turned by means of a control link (30),acting upon the end of the locking lever (40) across from the lockinglobe (43), so that when the guide pin (41) reaches its limit stop in theguide track (46), the locking iron (10) is pulled in such a way, thatthe locking pin (9) is ejected from the locking notch (23), thusreleasing the head part frame (4).
 6. Articulated fitting according toclaim 1, characterized in that the release lever (17) is coupled at ajoint (E) of the second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) and that thelocking iron (10) carries a locking journal (12) upon which therespective lobe (18, 19) of the release lever (17) is supported in therelevant position when the head part frame (4) is lifted, causing arelease of the respective locking notch (23, 24) of the locking iron(10) from the locking pin (9) when the frame is lifted up further. 7.Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that when thelying part frame (3) is folded upward, the release lever (17), with oneof its lobes (18, 19), pushes back the locking iron (10) far enough torelease the locking pin (9) from the relevant locking notch (23, 24), sothat it is maintained in the recess (15) of the slider (14) above thelocking notches (23, 24).
 8. Articulated fitting according to claim 7,characterized in that when the lying part frame (3) is reclined, thelocking pin (9) engages in the locking notch (23) for the lyingposition.
 9. Articulated fitting according to claim 7, characterized inthat the bottom end of the locking iron (10) is coupled to a connectingelement (6), the other end of which is coupled to a guide element (34)of the second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) positioned at the joint(5) of the head part frame (4), and that a spring tensions theconnecting element (6) against the guide element (34).
 10. Articulatedfitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the slider (14) onthe locking iron (10) covers one of the locking notches (23, 24) with apart (16) projecting into a recess (15).
 11. Articulated fittingaccording to claim 7, characterized in that the slider (14) is guided bya guide pin (37) in a slot (13) in the locking iron (10) and that it isguided on the locking iron (10) by means of at least one angled edge onits longitudinal side.